Sally Salminen
Encyclopedia
Sally Alina Ingeborg Salminen (April 25, 1906 - July 18, 1976), later Salminen-Dührkopf, was an internationally renowned author
from the Åland Islands, Finland
.
, Åland, Sally Salminen was the eighth child of twelve. Already as a child she entertained notions of becoming an author, but she considered herself to be too poor and unknowledgeable to succeed as a writer. After her confirmation, she worked in the village grocery store, until she moved to Stockholm
, Sweden
to work as a maid
. During her tenure in Sweden she took correspondent courses and read books on her spare time.
In 1930 Sally and her sister Aili moved to New York City
, New York
, United States
. While in New York, she wrote during her spare time, and it was here she started writing the manuscript for her first (and most famous) novel, Katrina
. Finland-Swedish
publisher Holger Schildts Förlag announced in 1936 a writing contest, for which Salminen submitted her manuscript. Her submission won, and Katrina was published the same year. The novel depicts the life of an Ostrobothnian
woman, Katrina, who moves to Åland following her marriage. Katrina became an international success, eventually being translated into more than twenty languages.
Sally Salminen married Danish
painter Johannes Dürhkopf in 1940, and relocated to Denmark. Salminen remained a prolific writer, but she was never able to replicate the success of her debut novel, Katrina. Besides Katrina, Prins Efflam (1953) and Vid Havet (1963) are considered her most notable works.
Additionally, Aili Nordgren's son Ralf Nordgren (1936 - ) and Uno Salminen's daughter Christina Remmer (1941 - ) have authored several books.
Another notable author born on Åland, Johannes Salminen, is however not related to Sally Salminen.
Author
An author is broadly defined as "the person who originates or gives existence to anything" and that authorship determines responsibility for what is created. Narrowly defined, an author is the originator of any written work.-Legal significance:...
from the Åland Islands, Finland
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
.
Biography
Born in VårdöVårdö
Vårdö is a municipality of Åland, an autonomous territory of Finland. Vårdö is an inflatable raft. It is connected to mainland Åland only by the cable used by the ferry that is the only way to get to Vårdö unless you have a boat of your own. Unfortunately the cable tends to wear quickly and break...
, Åland, Sally Salminen was the eighth child of twelve. Already as a child she entertained notions of becoming an author, but she considered herself to be too poor and unknowledgeable to succeed as a writer. After her confirmation, she worked in the village grocery store, until she moved to Stockholm
Stockholm
Stockholm is the capital and the largest city of Sweden and constitutes the most populated urban area in Scandinavia. Stockholm is the most populous city in Sweden, with a population of 851,155 in the municipality , 1.37 million in the urban area , and around 2.1 million in the metropolitan area...
, Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
to work as a maid
Maid
A maidservant or in current usage housemaid or maid is a female employed in domestic service.-Description:Once part of an elaborate hierarchy in great houses, today a single maid may be the only domestic worker that upper and even middle-income households can afford, as was historically the case...
. During her tenure in Sweden she took correspondent courses and read books on her spare time.
In 1930 Sally and her sister Aili moved to New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. While in New York, she wrote during her spare time, and it was here she started writing the manuscript for her first (and most famous) novel, Katrina
Katrina (novel)
Katrina is a Swedish language novel published in 1936, written by Åland author Sally Salminen. The publishing company Holger Schildts Förlag had announced a writing competition, for which Salminen had submitted her first draft of Katrina. Salminen won first prize, and the publisher agreed to...
. Finland-Swedish
Finland-Swedish
Finland Swedish is a general term for the closely related cluster of dialects of Swedish spoken in Finland by Swedish-speaking Finns as their mother tongue...
publisher Holger Schildts Förlag announced in 1936 a writing contest, for which Salminen submitted her manuscript. Her submission won, and Katrina was published the same year. The novel depicts the life of an Ostrobothnian
Ostrobothnia (region)
Ostrobothnia is a region of Finland. It is located in Western Finland. It borders the regions Central Ostrobothnia, Southern Ostrobothnia, and Satakunta and is one of the four regions making up the historical province of Ostrobothnia....
woman, Katrina, who moves to Åland following her marriage. Katrina became an international success, eventually being translated into more than twenty languages.
Sally Salminen married Danish
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
painter Johannes Dürhkopf in 1940, and relocated to Denmark. Salminen remained a prolific writer, but she was never able to replicate the success of her debut novel, Katrina. Besides Katrina, Prins Efflam (1953) and Vid Havet (1963) are considered her most notable works.
Family
Several of Salminen's siblings were notable authors in their own right. Her sister Aili Nordgren (née Salminen) (1908–1995) wrote several books. Her younger brother Runar Salminen (1912–1988) released several anthologies of poetry, and elder brother Uno Salminen (1905–1991) wrote a trilogy of books about the fictional character Erik Sundblom.Additionally, Aili Nordgren's son Ralf Nordgren (1936 - ) and Uno Salminen's daughter Christina Remmer (1941 - ) have authored several books.
Another notable author born on Åland, Johannes Salminen, is however not related to Sally Salminen.
Novels
- KatrinaKatrina (novel)Katrina is a Swedish language novel published in 1936, written by Åland author Sally Salminen. The publishing company Holger Schildts Förlag had announced a writing competition, for which Salminen had submitted her first draft of Katrina. Salminen won first prize, and the publisher agreed to...
(1936) - Den långa våren (1939)
- På lös sand (1941)
- Lars Laurila (1943)
- Nya land (1945)
- Barndomens land (1948)
- Små världar (1949)
- Klyftan och stjärnan (1951)
- Prins Efflam (1953)
- Spår på jorden (1961)
- Vid havet (1963)
Autobiographical
- Upptäcktsresan (1966)
- Min amerikanska saga (1968)
- I Danmark (1972)
- Världen öppnar sig (1974)